OCR Text |
Show FERTILITY MAY BE RESTORED Principal Factor In Restoration, According Ac-cording to Prof. Alfred Vivian, Is Organic Matter. "Any, soil which was once rich can bo mado rich," is the declaration mndo by Prof. Alfred Vivian, acting dean of tho College of Agriculture. Ohio Stnte University, in a recent address. ad-dress. The principal factor concerned in tho restoration of the soil fertility, according to Prof. Vivian, is organic matter. "Tho destruction of orgnnlc matter by cultivation and otherwise, is largely responsible for the depletion our our soils," said he. "This organic matter must be restored if we expect lour furms to be productive. What does organic matter do? It increases the power of the soil to absorb and retain moisture; improves tho physical physi-cal or mechanical condition of the soil; helps to control soil temperature, tempera-ture, and is a storehouse of plant food. How can organic matter be restored re-stored to the soil? "By saving all animal manures and putting them onto the land; by making mak-ing use of all crop residues, that is, putting back into the soil everything not used for feed; by turning under green manuring and catch crops." Prof. Vivian pointed out the loss sustained sus-tained by burning straw staclis and other crop residues and declared that the difference between the careful saving of this plant food and its wanton wan-ton destruction was "the difference between the salvation and damnation of our Eolls." |